Tuesday, Jan. 24 | Out of Bounds Birds Course Begins

Birds not usually seen in Michigan show up here on occasion. But why? Learn about rare birds—sometimes called vagrant birds—and how migration affects rare sightings in a three-week, online course with the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. Out of Bounds Birds will begin Tuesday, Jan. 24, and continue for the two following Tuesdays from 6 to 7:15 p.m.

The basics

• Time and dates: 6 to 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24 and 31, Feb. 7
• Location: Online
• Audience: Adults
• Course fee: $35/Sanctuary members, $45/non-members

About

In the course, we’ll discuss the rare birds that visited Michigan in 2022 and deepen our understanding of how and why birds migrate. Presenters include:

• Elliot Nelson, Michigan Sea Grant Educator in Lake Superior State University’s Chippewa County Extension office
• Jen Owen, MSU associate professor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and director of Michigan State Bird Observatory and the Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center.

Misty Klotz, W.K. Kellogg Biological Station’s community outreach coordinator, will facilitate the course sessions.

Schedule

Tuesday, Jan. 24: Migration—Bird migration is often thought of as a regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway in between breeding grounds, but in fact migration involves many variations. This week we’ll discuss why birds migrate, how they know where and when to go, and what factors drive birds to migrate.

Tuesday, Jan. 31: Avian vagrancy—Spotting birds outside of their expected habitat is always a treat for birders. While there is still a lot to learn about why this happens, we’ll discuss some reasons birds get off course and talk about some rare birds that were spotted in Michigan in 2022.

Tuesday, Feb. 7: Rare birds of Michigan—Birds will be starting their spring migration journeys before we know it. We’ll talk about how to get started on your life bird list and how to use various resources, like the eBird app, to find rare birds ethically.

Registration

Register at bit.ly/kbs-rare-birds2023 through Saturday, Jan. 21.

Participants can earn continuing education credits for the Master Naturalist and Conservation Stewards programs; one credit for each hour spent in class. Digital handouts and worksheets, selected identification keys and technical references will be provided.

Questions? Contact the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary at birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu or (269) 671-2510.